Patents Examined by Richard Camby
  • Patent number: 9785147
    Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may select a subject to track or follow and capture images including the subject. A visual recognition system of the UAV may generate a profile of reference images portraying the subject breaking the reference images down into pixel sets corresponding to the subject and his/her components and distinguishing characteristics (body parts, clothing, facial features, accessories). The visual recognition system may break the incoming stream of incoming images into pixel sets, analyzing the pixel sets to distinguish the subject from his/her surroundings (i.e., in a crowd) and determine movement of the subject and the current orientation of the UAV to the subject. The UAV may then change its heading, velocity, or position based on any difference between the current orientation and the desired or predetermined orientation between the UAV and the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Trace Live Network Inc.
    Inventors: Craig McDermott, Bruce McDonald
  • Patent number: 9783205
    Abstract: A computing platform of a vehicle may receive a request from a mobile device executing a data collection application using an element of vehicle data. The platform may access a permission table to confirm that a unique identifier of the mobile device is authorized to access the element of vehicle data. The mobile device may subscribe to a characteristic providing the element of vehicle data. The vehicle may update the element of vehicle data provided by the characteristic in accordance with a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Livio, Inc.
    Inventor: Justin Dickow
  • Patent number: 9771071
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering wheel and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to receiving location and speed data from other vehicles indicating an expected collision absent a trajectory change, automatically control the steering wheel to direct the vehicle along a collision avoidance path. The collision avoidance path is based on map data identifying a marking type for a traveling lane such that the path crosses the lane when the marking type is broken and does not cross the lane when the marking type is solid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ali Hassani, Jakob Nikolaus Hoellerbauer, Arun Dutta, Alexander Groh, Pol Llado, John William Schmotzer
  • Patent number: 9773422
    Abstract: A method may include receiving, using at least one processor, location information that includes a location of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); querying, using the at least one processor, a policy database to retrieve a notification condition for a first property with respect to UAVs; calculating, using the at least one processor, a distance between the UAV and the first property using the received location information determining, using the at least one processor, if the distance of the UAV with respect to the first property is within a range defined in the notification condition for the first property; and transmitting, using the at least one processor, a notification to a party associated with the first property when the distance of the UAV with respect to the first property is within the range defined in the notification condition for the first property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rita H. Wouhaybi, Hong Li, Tobias Kohlenberg, Igor Tatourian
  • Patent number: 9772192
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for collaborative navigation and operation on two mobile devices. The method may include establishing a wireless connection between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, and generating navigation data by the first mobile device for collaborative navigation based on a location of the first mobile device. The method may also include selecting a first subset of the navigation data for display by the first mobile device, and selecting a second subset of the navigation data for display by the second mobile device. The method may also include transferring the second subset of navigation data to the second mobile device and coordinating the display of the first subset of navigation data on the first mobile device with display of the second subset of navigation data on the second mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Sai Pradeep Venkatraman, Benjamin A. Werner, Weihua Gao
  • Patent number: 9764790
    Abstract: A transportation device includes a frame foldable between a bicycle configuration and a personal transporter configuration. A sensor configured to sense when the frame is in at least one of the bicycle configuration and the personal transporter configuration. A first wheel and a second wheel are each rotatably coupled to the frame. A first motor is coupled to the first wheel and a second motor is coupled to the second wheel. A controller is programmed to instruct the first motor to rotate in a first direction in response to a signal from the sensor that the frame is in the bicycle configuration, and to instruct the first motor to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction in response to a signal from the sensor that the frame is in the personal transporter configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Enrique Granell Peniche, Luis Soni Gutierrez, Francisco Ronquillo, David Castro Duran
  • Patent number: 9766086
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for managing waste services by a service vehicle. The system may have a locating device configured to generate a location signal, a sensor configured to generate a service signal indicative of a waste service being performed, an input device, and a controller in communication with the locating device, the sensor, and the input device. The controller may be configured to make a determination that the service vehicle has made at least one service stop based on the location and service signals, and to make a comparison of characteristics of the at least one service stop with characteristics of at least one service stop of at least one known service route. Based on the comparison, the controller may be further configured to selectively transmit the recorded characteristics offboard the service vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Rubicon Global Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Rodoni
  • Patent number: 9763377
    Abstract: A parallel operation work vehicle for enabling operation of an autonomous work vehicle by a long distance operating device installed in an accompanying work vehicle for performing work while accompanying the autonomous work vehicle, wherein the accompanying work vehicle is provided with a display and a speaker as notification means, the notification means is capable of communicating with the autonomous work vehicle through a communication device, and, when a distance to the edge of the cultivated field from the autonomous work vehicle approaches a set distance, a control device transmits a signal to a control device of the accompanying work vehicle through the communication device and issues a warning through the notification means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 9768606
    Abstract: A method for discharging a high-voltage system in a vehicle, the high-voltage system having at least one energy store and a plurality of high-voltage consumers. To discharge the high-voltage system, the electrical energy store is first separated from the rest of the vehicle electrical system, and at least one of the high-voltage consumers is switched on, so that the charge stored within the system drains via the consumers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Jochen Kuehner, Martin Trunk, Arnold Winter, Dragan Mikulec
  • Patent number: 9753460
    Abstract: An incident light meter on an autonomous vehicle receives ambient light and outputs an incident light measurement in response the ambient light. One or more image sensors of the autonomous vehicle image the environment of the autonomous vehicle. An exposure setting is generated at least in part on the incident light measurement. The one or more image sensors capture a digital image at the exposure setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Thomas Safarik
  • Patent number: 9751530
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an input unit configured to receive an input of a control point and a control degree related to lane keeping; a lane controller configured to determine whether to perform a lane keeping control based on the input control point, road conditions and a vehicle condition in the road; and a controller configured to control the vehicle's driving based on the control degree when the lane controller determines to perform the lane keeping control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Woon Ki Cho
  • Patent number: 9745071
    Abstract: An ejectable flight data recorder for robust retention of flight data and aiding in locating an aircraft after an emergency situation comprises: a buoyant housing comprising an internal cavity, a door for access to at least a portion of the internal cavity, and an aerodynamic outer shape having a longitudinal axis; an energy-dissipating nose cone for reducing an impact load on the housing when the flight data recorder impacts a water surface; a nonvolatile memory configured to store flight data; a position sensor for detecting a geographic position of the flight data recorder; a radio transmitter; an antenna electrically coupled to the radio transmitter; a sustainable power system; and a hydrophone for acoustically tracking a sinking trajectory of the aircraft in a body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: COMAC AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mingwei Wang, Wei Ye
  • Patent number: 9744970
    Abstract: An example trailer road grade estimating method includes calculating a road grade beneath a trailer vehicle based on a difference between a first estimated mass and a second estimated mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Hai Yu
  • Patent number: 9739617
    Abstract: A method of operation of a navigation system includes: determining a navigation distance based on comparing a current location and a guidance point; determining a connection mode based on comparing a mode threshold distance and the navigation distance; detecting a communication initiation information for initiating a communication session; and generating a guidance notification with a control unit based on detecting the communication initiation information during the connection mode representing the mode threshold distance meeting or exceeding the navigation distance for presenting on a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Telenav, Inc.
    Inventors: Naveen Kumar Vandanapu, Gregory Stewart Aist
  • Patent number: 9726512
    Abstract: A method for operating a navigation system, in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps: determining an upcoming waypoint of a route, which is planned by the navigation system, with respect to which an item of navigation information is to be output to a user, ascertaining surroundings data relating to the surroundings of the waypoint, ascertaining at least one reference object, which is located in the surroundings of the waypoint, from the surroundings data, assigning a verbal designation to the reference object, preparing the navigation information comprising the designation, and acoustically outputting the navigation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Andre Hainzlmaier, Patrick Heinemann, Daniel Profendiner, Martin Enning, Viet Hoang Pham
  • Patent number: 9726502
    Abstract: A computer-implemented technology for planning routes is described herein. In accordance with one aspect, travel data of commuters of a transportation network are provided. Continuous distributions of travel time and waiting time are generated from the travel data. The continuous distributions of travel time and waiting time are associated to a transportation graph of the transportation network. The transportation graph includes nodes corresponding to stops of the transportation network and edges interconnecting the nodes. Travel time and waiting time are associated as costs of the edges in the transportation graph. In response to receiving input parameters, expected costs of candidate routes in the transportation graph are determined in accordance with a modified multi criteria shortest path technique. The modified multi criteria shortest path technique invokes a subroutine to retrieve accurate costs of routes based at least on the costs of the edges in the transportation graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Peng Ni, Hoang Tam Vo, Daniel Hermann Richard Dahlmeier, Wentong Cai
  • Patent number: 9726016
    Abstract: A vehicle proximity awareness system in a mine, including: a magnetic field transmitter on a first vehicle for transmitting a transmit magnetic field, the magnetic field transmitter including an anti-collision capability for reducing a likelihood of the transmit magnetic field being affected by a magnetic field from a different source; a magnetic field receiver on a second vehicle for receiving the transmit magnetic field from the first vehicle to provide a receive signal; and a processor on the second vehicle for processing the receive signal, and for providing an indication to an operator of the second vehicle when the first vehicle is within a proximity of the second vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Minetec Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Grant Wilmot, Alex Beliakov, Sunil Sanganbatte, Craig Wroth
  • Patent number: 9713994
    Abstract: According to one aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, a safety control system for using applications in vehicles, includes, a communication device having at least one of an input accessible from within the vehicle and an output communicated within the vehicle, at least one sensor operable to sense at least one condition related to vehicle operation, and data about distraction features of a running application, to and a controller communicated with the sensor and the communication device to selectively suppress at least one of said input and said output in response to a sensed parameter of said at least one condition being outside of a threshold. When an input is suppressed, the driver is prevented from accessing or inputting information into the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: ACT-IP
    Inventor: Mouhamad Ahmad Naboulsi
  • Patent number: 9714041
    Abstract: A control system for a train having at least one locomotive or control car and, optionally, at least one railroad car, operating in a track network, wherein an on-board computer determines or receives movement data and location data and generates stopping data representing an amount of force for stopping the train at a distance from a target and/or predictor data representing an estimated or predicted location or position of the train in the track network based on the movement data and the location data. A train control method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Oswald
  • Patent number: 9707857
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a battery pack supplying power to propel a vehicle are disclosed. One example method comprises, adjusting a battery pack state of charge window in response to vehicle mass. Adjusting the battery pack state of charge window in response to vehicle mass may allow the battery pack to provide an increased amount of energy to a motor so that the motor may provide torque to a driveline for a longer period of time and/or absorb more vehicle generator produced power during vehicle operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoguang Chang, Chuan He, Xu Wang